


Brothers Ruin Everything

by the_impatient_panda



Category: Body of Proof
Genre: F/F, Mutual Pining, Outside Influences, Post-Canon, big brothers are the worst, everyone assumes wrong, just need a push, mutual crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25414804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_impatient_panda/pseuds/the_impatient_panda
Summary: The time Kate Murphy's big brother came to visit, and Kate is very worried he is going to (once again) steal her friend with his charming smiles and winsome words. Thankfully, Megan Hunt is a little too enamored with the other Dr. Hunt to notice big brother or his smiles or words.WARNING: INCOMPLETE not terribly not done, but still very simple and missing lots of what usually gets filled in between characters.If Kate's brother (or other family) is ever mentioned I don't remember what their name(s) are so I just made it up.
Relationships: Megan Hunt/Kate Murphy
Kudos: 16





	Brothers Ruin Everything

Kate tossed her phone on her desk as Megan walked into the office, an unusual scowl on her face.

“Everything alright?”

“Oh, just my brother, being his usual self.” Rolling her eyes. “He’s coming into town unexpectedly, and staying with me. If he wasn't bringing my niece, I would tell him no, but...”

“How old is she?”

“A few years younger than Lacey. She's a good kid, and I don't get to see her often.”

“So, no girls night then?”

“No, they’ll be here around 6.”

“I have Lacey tomorrow night, and we were going to go out to eat and visit the fair in the park. Want to join us? The girls can play over priced games and ride the rides together.”

“...I don't know.”

“Why not? Does she not like fairs?”

“No, she’d probably love it.”

“Then...what?”

“... you're going to laugh at me.”

“Try me.”

“My brother, Kent, has a bad habit of taking my friends and dating them. And then we’re not friends anymore.”

“Ok, I know Tommy and I just broke up but I'm not desperate enough for that.”

“It's not you I’m worried about. Or at least not you starting something. But he's very good at being charming, and...”

“And you think I’m going to fall for it.”

“...I think you might.” Shrugging uncomfortably. “Kent’s wife was my roommate in college. His girlfriend before that was one of my best friends in high school. After he got divorced, every time he’s come to visit he’s managed to meet one of my friends and when he leaves we’re usually not friends anymore.”

“You have friends outside of work?”

“Exactly.” To herself. “And thanks for the reminder.”

“Ok, but this is me we’re talking about. I’m the Queen of Mean in this office, and I promise you that whatever happens I will not fall for your brother, Dr. Murphy. So unless you’re excited to spend the next three or four days with him without any backup...”

“Ok, fine. I’ll talk to them and see what they think.”

“Lacey will be excited to see you. She has more art questions.”

“That, at least, will be nice.”

-090-

Kent and Cami meet Kate at her apartment, they all have takeout together in her kitchen. Afterwards, she proposes dinner with her friend and her daughter and a fair afterwards. 

“Sounds like fun,” Kent said, leaning back in his seat with a smile.

“No,” his sister replied quietly as his daughter went to find her cellphone. 

“No what?”

“You know what,” Kate replied acidly. “Megan is important to m- my department. She is the absolute best at what she does, and I’m not letting you screw up another friendship for me.”

“What does she look like?”

“Does it matter?”

“If she’s unattractive, it might help.”

“I’m serious, Kent. Don’t. If you can’t keep your charm to yourself, I’ll cancel and we’ll find something else to do.”

“Oh, don’t do that. Cami would love to go to the fair, and having another kid around to play the games and ride the rides with sounds great. I promise to behave, for my little sister.”

“You’d better. I’ve already warned her about you, too.”

“It’ll be fine.”

-090-

Dinner goes well. Lacey and Cami hit it off talking about art, and Kate finds herself mostly absorbed in their talk which leaves Kent on his own with Megan. Megan is keeping her distance, but being friendly and polite. Kate breaths a sigh of relief. 

At the fair, Lacey and Cami race ahead a bit to play the games while the adults meander behind.

“So, I’ve been wondering,” Megan said as she tucked her hands in her coat pockets. “You’re Kate’s older brother, right?”

“Yeah, but a few years. Why?”

“Got any good younger Kate stories to share?”

“Megan...” Warning.

“What? You can’t blame me for asking. You never talk about growing up, and you’ve been exposed to an obscene amount of my childhood traumas so...let’s hear it.”

“Hm, Kate as a child stories...” Kent mused with a wide smile. “I could tell you about the time she was the frog in her school play.”

“Oh, god no.”

“Then how about the time you got caught pulling pranks at school.”

“Kent...”

“The time you threw up all over the Thanksgiving turkey?”

“No, we aren’t doing this.” Kate, voice raised.

“Oh, don’t worry, you’ve given me plenty to poke around with later,” Megan said with a wide smile. “And I’m very good at being irritating until people give me what I want.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Are you sure you two are friends?”

“I can’t think of any other reason she still puts up with me.” Megan.

“Oh, you’re definitely a pain in the ass,” Kate replied with a grin. “But still worth it.”

“That reminds me,” Kent said as he stopped a passing cotton candy vendor and paid cash for two bags. “I want to meet the friend who saved you from the Marburg virus.”

“You mean Dr. Stafford, from Disease Control?”

“No, the one who convinced him to break the law twice to save my sister’s life.”

“Oh, you’re welcome.” Megan.

“That was you.”

“Yeah. It was...well, it was a big deal. We all wanted to save Kate, though. She’s important to us. To the team and our work. It wouldn’t have been the same without her.”

“I’m taking you out to dinner now. Or for drinks.”

“What?” Kate and Megan at the same time.

“To say thank you. You saved my sister’s life.”

“You really don’t have to-”

“I don’t think you understand. You know our parents are dead, right?”

Megan pauses as she glances at Kate who’s gone quiet. “I did,” she admits carefully, because they’ve never discussed it before.

“She’s the only family I have besides my daughter,” Kent said as he put an arm around his younger sister. “And we may not see each other a lot, but she’s still really important to me.” Kate smiles up at him fondly, if with exasperation. “So, I need to thank you for being there for her when I couldn’t be. For making sure my daughter still has an aunt, because if it had been left up to the idiots in charge she’d have died, and so would the rest of them.”

Megan thinks about it. “It’s not a date.”

“Definitely not,” he agreed quickly.

“Megan.” Kate warning.

“I’d give anything to be able to thank Peter,” Megan replied quietly. Kate paused, then sighed.

“Ok, fine. Do you still have Lacey tomorrow?”

“I do.”

“Do you think your mom would mind staying with both girls for the evening?”

“I was actually hoping you would take the girls,” Kent said, giving his sister a hopeful look. “Think of it as quality time with your niece.”

“Not a chance, Kent.”

“We could just take them with us,” Megan said as she tried not to laugh at the sibling's antics. “If it’s not a date.”

“Hey dad, look at what Lacey won me!” Cami is carrying a teddy bear as big as her.

“How’d you win it?” Kate, impressed.

“Ring toss,” Lacey replied proudly. “It’s all in the wrist.”

“That’s my girl.” Megan, proud. Puts an arm around her daughter.

“Dad, Lacey has a riding competition tomorrow,” Cami said excitedly as she handed the monstrosity over to him. “Can we go watch?”

“I dunno, kiddo, your aunt might have plans for us.”

“You didn’t give me time to make plans, you told me you were coming six hours before you arrived.” Rolling her eyes.

“It’s a bit of a drive,” Megan said as she caught Kate’s eye. “Over an hour there and back. And Todd and my mom are coming.”

“But I really want to go,” Cami said, giving her father a sad look. “I’ve never seen a riding competition, and I’ll actually know someone in the show. Please??”

“Do you mind?” Kent asked Kate. 

“No, we can go if you like.”

“You don’t have to come if you have work you need to-”

“I’ll come.” Certain, with a steely look. 

“Lace, it looks like your cheering section just doubled,” Megan said as she gave her shoulders a squeeze. “That’ll be fun.”

“Cool.” Glancing between Kate, Kent and Megan, totally sensing something is up and too curious not to wonder what.

“I see the ferris wheel over there,” Kent said as he changed the subject. “Who wants to go for a ride?”

-090-

“So, did I sufficiently behave myself?” Kent asked after he’d gotten Cami to sleep. 

“Barely,” Kate replied as she looked over a report she’d brought home to study. “But you’re definitely toeing the line, mister.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. She’s very smart, isn’t she?”

“Yes.” Ironic. 

“And quiet beautiful, too.”

“Your type?”

“No, but I do think she’s yours.” Wide grin.

“Hm.” Closing the report, looking up at him. “Kent...”

“Older than you,” he said as he grinned at her disarmingly. “Short-tempered. Intelligent. Shorter than you. In good shape. Attractive. Red tint to her hair. Able to keep up with you.”

“She’s my subordinate at work.”

“You do like being in charge.”

“Oh, trust me, no one’s in charge of Megan Hunt. She’s not a person, she’s a force of nature.”

“A challenge then. Even better.”

“No.”

“Why not? She clearly likes you. She might even like-like you.”

“What, are we in middle school now?”

“That was when you had your first girlfriend, right?”

“Ok, that’s enough. We’re not discussing this, because there’s nothing to discuss.”

“If you say so.” He grins.

-090-

At the equestrian competition, Todd greets Kate and her brother and niece with cordial surprise. Joan is more welcoming. Todd and Kent spend time talking business, Joan asks Kate how managing Megan is going. 

“Quite well, actually. I’ve only had three official complaints this month.”

“Only three? That might be a new record for you, Megan. Your all-time low.”

“Ha ha. The month isn’t over yet.”

“To true.” Kate. 

“Besides, I get results.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Yes, but at what cost.” Joan.

“She just said I was being well-behaved, mom.”

“Mostly well-behaved.” Kate is hiding a smile.

“Just for that I am totally digging for details on the pranks story tonight at dinner.”

“You’re all having dinner together tonight?” Joan, zeroing in on the information like a shark.

“Yes, Kent wants to thank me for saving his baby sister from the Marburg virus.”

“I’d be more than happy to watch the girls...”

“No.”

“He’s not single?”

“He is single, but I promised Kate I wouldn’t.”

“Why would you make a promise like that?”

“Because she’s my friend.”

“She dated your ex-husband. I don’t think asking you to promise not to date her brother is fair.”

“We weren’t friends then, mom. We barely tolerated each other as colleagues back then.”

“True.” Kate. “Also, I did apologize when I broke things off with Todd.”

“Yes, and it was a very nice apology that I appreciated a great deal.”

“And now we’re friends.”

“Exactly.”

“Hm.” 

-090-

Megan takes Cami and Kent to meet Lacey’s horse. Joan has left. Kate and Todd are waiting outside the barn.

“I didn’t realize you don’t like horses,” Todd said with a smile as he stuck his hands in his pockets thoughtfully.

“Bad experience with one as a child,” Kate admitted reluctantly. “It happens.”

“Yes, I suppose it does. So...Megan and your brother, huh?”

“Excuse me?”

“He likes her, I can tell. He also said he’s taking her out to dinner tonight.”

“He’s taking all of us out to dinner, but it’s to say thank you for what she did during the Marburg viral outbreak.”

“That’s too bad. I’d hoped...well, that’s not important. She’s not seeing anyone else, is she?”

“Why?”

“Just curious.” Kate gives him a deadpan look. “She’s acting like she usually does when she’s found someone she’s interested in.”

“What do you mean?”

Describe traits. 

“I haven’t noticed anyone in particular.”

“Hm. I’ll ask Lacey, maybe she knows.”

-090-

Describe dinner. They have a good time. Kate catches Megan studying Kent’s face. She gets a bit annoyed. Megan is noticing how much they look alike, and decides she definitely prefers the sister. Cami asks to go to do something (something special in the restaurant? An art something?) and Kate goes too. When she comes back, she sees Kent and Megan talking close. To give herself space to accept that she’s just lost another friend to her brother, she excuses herself to the restroom. 

-090-

“So, I have something to confess,” Kent said as he leaned a bit closer across the table.

“Hm, what’s that?” Megan replied over her glass of wine.

“I fully intended to try and flirt with you to get on my sister’s nerves,” Kent said as he grinned at her boyishly. “But it’s not working, is it?”

“No.”

“Because, you’re way more interested in my sister than you are in me.”

“That’s quite the leap to that conclusion, Dr. Murphy.”

“But you’re not denying it.”

“Your sister is my boss.”

“And that’s just an excuse.”

“She’s also my friend.”

“Also an excuse. You could just deny it. Convince me, and I’ll let it go.”

Megan considers. “Why are we discussing this?”

“Because...I think you have a chance.”

“Really?” Her eyes light up a bit.

“I mean, I can’t just tell you what she did or did not tell me, because I’m her big brother. But I think you should go for it.”

“Hm.” Megan is leaning in now. “But...you’re Kate’s brother. And she likes pranks. Would you think it funny to...?”

“No.” Putting a hand on her arm. “I wouldn’t. And I do mean that.”

“I believe you.” She smiles at him.

The last part is what Kate sees. When she comes back she’s acting completely normal. Everyone says goodnight, Kent thanks Megan again, and she takes Lacey home for the night.

Kent says nothing more about Megan to his sister, focusing more on their leaving in the morning. Does mention he hopes to see her again soon, sooner than Christmas which is usually when they get together. Even mentions maybe coming to stay with her again. Cami is all for it, as she liked Lacey a lot. Kate seethes inside.

-090-

“So, anything new this morning?”

Megan looked up from her desk, surprised to find Kate in the doorway with an unusually tight expression on her face.

“No, just trying to get through the mail.” Holding up an envelope.

“Who’s it from?”

“Some college out in Washington. I keep getting requests to come and do a semester of adjunct teaching from major surgical teaching schools.”

“Not your cup of tea?”

“Can you imagine me dealing with students? I’d murder them.”

“You’re handling Ethan well enough.”

“There’s only one of him, and he was half-trained before I even got here.”

“True.” Deciding to give a go. “Cami and Kent got off to an early start this morning.”

“I know.”

“You do?” Trying to control her voice.

“Cami sent Lacey a picture. I didn’t know they’d exchanged numbers until then. The power of cellphones in the hands of kids.”

Her patience runs out. “So, planning on seeing him again?”

“Who?”

“My brother.”

“I mean...if he comes to visit again with Cami, we’d love to have dinner with them again. Why?”

“He said he’d like to come back soon, which he’s never done before, and...I saw you with him last night. Just tell me the truth, Megan. You owe me that much.”

“The truth.” Megan gives her a long look, slowly standing. “Ok, I’ll admit it. Guilty as charged. I’m falling in love with one Dr. Murphy.”

“Ah.”

“I mean, can you blame me? Intelligent. Attractive. A smoother talker. And kind and caring. Compassionate.”

“Hm, you can stop there.”

“But the list goes on. Artistic. Gets on well with Lacey. Honest. Sexy as hell.”

“I thought we agreed you and my brother was a terrible idea.”

“We did. Which is why I’m not going to date him.”

“But you sound like you’re half in love with him.”

“I am, with the other Dr. Murphy.” Looking into her eyes hopefully.

“...oh.”

After a while. “Was that a good response? I can’t tell.”

“Me. You mean me.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Why...”

“Now you’re just fishing for compliments.” Trying to make a joke, and even though it’s not really funny they both laugh nervously.

“What were you talking about, then? Last night.”

“You.”

Kate sighs. “I’m an idiot.”

“Well, yes, but...if you hadn’t been I may not have been able to tell you the truth.”

“How long?”

“Awhile. But there was always something else in the way. Aiden. Then the outbreak and Stafford. Peter’s death. Sergei. Tommy.”

“Two years?”

“Yes and no. It was complicated.”

“Everything is always complicated with you.”

“I could have kissed you the day you didn’t yell at me when I blew up at you because of the investigation into my father’s death. You just told me you understood, and that I could take as much time as I needed and only had to ask for help to get it. I know you were busy, so I understood why you walked away afterwards, but...it meant the world to me that you did that.”

“I was glad when I didn’t win the election, because it meant I wouldn’t have to stop being with you almost every day.” Her hands coming up to catch Megan’s. 

“I was too. Even if you would have made a great congresswoman.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Dr. Hunt, I...am I interrupting something?”

Megan leans over so she can see their young helper past Kate’s shoulder. “We’ll be there in a minute, Ethan.”

“Ok.” He leaves.

“I don’t have Lacey tonight. Dinner? So we can talk things through?”

“It’s a date.” A little breathless.

“Yes it is.” Megan drops a quick kiss on her cheek and leaves. Kate has to pause a minute to get herself under control, then follows. 

Maybe her brother doesn’t ruin everything after all.

-090-


End file.
